Heart disease is still the number-one killer in America, but early detection and treatment can drastically reduce your risk of a heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. At Millennium Park Medical Associates in the Loop and the Lakeview neighborhoods of Chicago, Illinois, Farah Khan, MD, FACP, and the expert team of board-certified internal medicine specialists diagnoses and treats heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Schedule an appointment by phone or online to get screened today.
Heart disease, or cardiovascular disease, includes medical conditions that affect your heart. Examples include:
Heart disease includes conditions that block or narrow blood vessels, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Early detection and treatment is crucial for optimal health.
If you have certain heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure (hypertension), you might not experience symptoms. Signs and symptoms associated with heart disease include:
At the first sign of heart disease or one of its risk factors, see the Millennium Park Medical Associates team for an evaluation.
Genetics, family history of heart disease, and older age increase your risk of heart disease. So do poor dietary habits, inactivity, smoking, being overweight, chronic stress, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Healthy lifestyle habits are the best way to reduce heart disease risk factors.
To diagnose heart disease and develop a treatment plan, Dr. Khan and your Millennium Park Medical Associates provider review your symptoms and medical history. They complete a physical exam and check your blood pressure, weight, pulse, and other vital signs. Your provider uses a blood test to evaluate cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
They might recommend an electrocardiogram (EKG), stress test, other heart function tests, chest X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan.
Heart disease specialists at Millennium Park Medical Associates customize treatments based on the severity of your condition. They might recommend:
Eating a lower-fat, low-sodium diet, losing weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol, reducing stress, and getting regular exercise are examples of lifestyle changes that help manage heart disease and its risk factors.
Taking medication might help you better manage high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or heart disease to reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
In severe cases, your provider might recommend surgical procedures to open blocked arteries or repair other heart problems.
Don’t let heart disease and its risk factors go undetected and untreated. Schedule an appointment with Millennium Park Medical Associates by phone or online today.